I meant like an app the booted off a CD before your system tried loading from the hard drive. I'll search around and see if I can find something like that.

You maybe be able to call Dell or MS and have them mail ya a replacement. If thats a no go, I'm sure there are places on the web where you can obtain an ISO of the CD... But I dare not speak of that =p.

Most newer Dells have the recovery image residing on a partition on the hard drive. I think it's Ctrl+F11 to access it during the boot process. I don't know if it will allow for a recovery console, but I'm pretty sure it will restore the computer to the state it was in when you took it out of the box.

Sorry for barging in, but I'm encountering two problems with a colleague's HP Compaq nx6310 laptop.

In this case, this was after I tried to do a fresh install from the recovery CD provided by HP. When I loaded up the Windows Setup, and tried to re-install Windows XP, I got this error:

Setup did not find any hard disk installed in your computer. Make sure any hard disk drives are powered on and properly connected.

.....which was false, given that the guy's hard disk was working properly. After a few retries, I gave up on using the CD, and tried to use the partition in that laptop to perform a restore. Pressed F11 to trigger "Emergency Recovery". No luck there, because THIS came up:

STOP: C0000218 {Registry File Failure} The registry cannot load the hive (file):\System Root\System32\Config\SECURITY or its log or alternate. It is corrupt, absent, or not writable.

I too have an issue with the nx6310 - in my case it complained about windows\system\config directory. i contacted HP and they haev sent a new disk that is also not detecetd by XP install CD. Have you tried running the BIOS HDD Diagnostics? (on boot-up hit F10 and run the diagnotics from there). In my case they failed with a read-error on Test 2!. I am now running the test on the new disk to see if this is the cause!

I followed the steps in http://support.microsoft.com/Default.aspx?kbid=307545, but instead of using the recovery console, which I was locked out of without a admin password, I slaved the drive in another machine. I renamed the windows/system32/config/software to .old and then copied a previous version from the snapshot folder of system restore point. I placed the drive back in the problem computer and Windows booted fine. Note: My problem was a corrupted software hive.

Dollarbill I'm having the same issue as you were having being locked out with no admin password. Would you mind giving me the steps on how to slave the drive in another machine and rename the windows/system32/config/software to .old and then copied a previous version from the snapshot folder of system restore point. I placed the drive back in the problem computer and Windows booted fine. I would appreciate it very much.

You physical remove the hard drive from the non working PC and slave if IDE or just install if SATA in a working XP computer. Then give the drive a non used drive letter. Next go to My Computer and browse to the new drive. Then just follow the steps in the KB article, except for DOS you'll be using Windows Explorer.

I have reading all posts above and have attempted to use the "My Bootdisk" to restore my Gateway 320 Series, WinXP Pro SP2 Laptop. I too am getting the following error message @boot up,

"c0000218 registry file failure. The registry cannot load the Hive file. Systemroot\syem32\config\software or its log or alternate. It is corrupt, absent or not writable. Beginning dump of Physical Memory".

So I downloaded the My BootDisk tool and tried to run from another win xp Home laptop so that i could copy to CD since i don't have floppy drives but when the Command Window prompts where I want to copy the files to, I Select D for cd rom and the prompt immediately disappears. "Question" Can some one advise what i'm doing wrong.

Specifics about my laptop. (1) Not able to boot fully into window. (2) Windows loader screen displays momentarily and continuosly attempts to Boot. (3) Not able to access via internet. (4) change bios to boot from cd rom and not able to launch any .exe files. (5) Tried copying ISO for winXP but did not restore system (6) Booted up with Unix based CD (Knoppix) and not able to access files nor get to internet but able to copy some files to USB. Help!

==================MORE INFO=============

I've tried to read up on how to fix this, but I really don't know what to do,
and don't want to screw anything up.

Here are the basics:
Stand-alone GATEWAY with Windows XP Professional and SP2
I was using the computer, then it lagged completely and stalled and so I had
to power down using the power button.

I waited, turned it back on, it rebooted to the screen with XP and the blue
scrolling....but it never changed to the regular log in screen. So I powered
down again. This time I got:
We apologize for the inconvenience, but windows did not start successfully.
A recent hardware or software change might have caused this.

If your computer stopped responding, restarted unexpectedly, or was
automatically shut down to protect your files and folders, choose Last Known
Good Configuration to revert to the most recent settings that worked.

If a previous startup attempt was interrupted due to a power failure or
because the power or reset button was pressed, or if you aren't sure what
caused the problem, choose Start Windows Normally.

Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command Prompt
Last Known Good Configuration(your most recent settings that worked)
Starts Windows Normally(HIGHLIGHTED)

Use the up and down arrow keys to move the highlight to your choice.
Seconds until Windows starts:27

I tried rebooting with several of the options, and it ran through a list of
registry items??? listed like:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\windows\system32\drivers\FILENAME

Right after it shows agp440.sys it pauses, the I get the following blue
screen error message:

THIS THREAD HAS EXPIRED.
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